What's the psychology of this?

[piannaman at aol.com]

Alan,
 
I think it falls into the "if something is free, it doesn't have any value" syndrome.  
 
I have worked it out with the dealers I contract for no shows where I charge the dealer for the appointment and void the customer's "free" tuning.  If and when the customer calls, I explain that the dealer has already been charged for the appointment.  I usually offer to give them one tuning at the dealer's price.  This is often a lesson for customers in the value of other people's time, especially the time of those of us who are self-employed in the service industry.
 
I agree that it is more common for those receiving their "warranty" tunings to place less value on your time than an established customer might, but there are always exceptions.  What really gets me is when an established customer no-shows, and never calls to reschedule or apologize for my inconvenience and loss of time/income.   It's hard not to take those personally, though years in the biz is making my skin thicker.
 
Did you get your stickers?
 
 
Dave Stahl, RPT

Dave Stahl Piano Service
650-224-3560
dstahlpiano at sbcglobal.net
http://dstahlpiano.net/


 
-----Original Message-----
From: tune4u at earthlink.net
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Fri, 13 Apr 2007 3:09 PM
Subject: What's the psychology of this?


I have had only a handful of "no shows" or "stand me ups" on appointments over the years and those, invariably, are in-home tunings (or other service) for dealers, not new customers who called me and certainly not my regulars.
 
Why is that?
 
Alan Barnard
Salem, MO
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